Cauliflower Gratin
Cauliflower gratin is an elegant and simple cauliflower preparation, yet all there is to this flavorful and even healthy cauliflower gratin is cauliflower, a soufflé-like cheese sauce, and a crunchy Parmigiano Reggiano® cheese topping. This rich-tasting cauliflower gratin is also healthy because the Parmesan Cream Sauce is made with milk and broth rather than cream. You can prepare the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce in advance, and finish this cauliflower gratin recipe just before serving, making it ideal for a dinner party or a holiday dinner.

The light and airy cheese sauce in this cauliflower gratin has been known to make even people who don’t usually like cauliflower want to clean their plate, so this cauliflower gratin could become a regular at your table. If it does, serve cauliflower au gratin with roast chicken or grilled steak, a Sunday roast, or by itself for a delicious meatless main dish.
Servings Prep Time
6people 30minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Servings Prep Time
6people 30minutes
Cook Time
20minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
  2. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add a generous spoonful of salt, and blanch the cauliflower florets for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and let dry.
  3. Separate the eggs. Heat the Parmesan Cream Sauce in a sauce pan and let it cool a little, then add both egg yolks to the sauce.
  4. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Then fold the beaten egg whites into the lukewarm sauce.
  5. Butter an ovenproof dish big enough to hold the cauliflower and sauce (about 8 cups) and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Add the cauliflower florets to the dish and pour most of the sauce over the cauliflower, making sure it is evenly distributed.
  6. Top the cauliflower with the remaining sauce and sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top. Bake immediately until the sauce has set and the top is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. The sauce will rise a little and sink as the dish comes out of the oven. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Cauliflower Gratin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 189 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 258mg 11%
Potassium 125mg 4%
Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 12g 24%
Vitamin A 3%
Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 37%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.